Automatic water-relief valve.



PATENTED JAN. 8,1907.

F. A. COOPER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1,4906.

AUTOMATIC WATER RELIEF VALVE.

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FREDERICK A. COOPER, OF ADAMS, MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMATIC WATER-RELIEF VALVE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 8, 1907.

Application filed May 1, 1906. Serial No. 314.709.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK A. COOPER,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Adams, county of Berkshire,and State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Automatic VVater-Relief Valves, of which the following isa specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in automaticwater-relief valves, and has for its object to provide a device of thisdescription for the purpose of automatically preventing the flooding ofthe low-pressure cylinder of steam-engines or any other cylinder whichmay be connected with condenser or air pumps.

With these ends in view this invention consists in the details ofconstruction and set forth and then specifically designated by theclaims.

In. order that those skilled in the art to which this inventionappertains may understand how to make and use the same, the constructionand operation will now be described in detail, referring to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which-Figure 1 is a side elevation of a condenser with my invention appliedthereto; Fig. 2, a vertical section through the automatic relief-valve;Fig. 3, a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

My automatic relief-valve is adapted to be interposed between acondenser or air-pump and the exhaust-pipe of the cylinder.

A represents the condenser, and B the exhaust-pipe.

My invention consists of a casing C, having a vertical opening orpassageD at one end, where it is connected with condenser. This verticalpassage D connects with the horizontal passage E, which extends to andconnects with the exhaust-pipe of the cylinder of a steam-engine.

F is an opening formed through the bottom of the horizontal portion, andin this opening is fitted a valve-seat F.

G is a valve-disk secured to a valve-stem G, which is adapted to slidevertically in suitable guides and when pressed upward comes in contactwith the valve-seat F. The'upper end of the valve-stem is guided withina tube H, threaded through the top of the casing, and in the upper endof the tube is threaded an adjusting-bolt H, secured in position by theusual jam-nut.

I is a spring interposed between the upper end of the valve-stem and theadjusting-bolt H said spring always tending to forcethe valve-disk fromoff its seat.

J represents two arms arranged upon each side of-the device next to thewall of the casing, and these arms are pivoted. to the casing at thepoint J.

K represents slats, each slat pivoted at one end to the arms J, so thatthe normal position of said slats will be in an incline position, asshown in. Fig. 2, leaving a space between the slats, and any pressurefrom above may freely pass over the slats to the condenser, but anypressure from below will act to close the slats, so that they overlapone another, and thus form a solid wall.

L is a lever pivoted intermediate of its two ends to the casing C, oneend of said lever pivoted to the valve-stem G and the other end lyingabove the shutter formed by the slats K and arms J when said shutter isin its normal position; M is a lever pivoted to a post at the point Mbelow said casing, the

other end of said lever engaging the valvestem below the valve-disk.

N is a lever secured to the same pivot as the lever M, this lever Nbeing provided with a sliding weight N to aid in opening the valve.

In operation when the engine is ready to I start the valve-disk G israised to its seat by means of the lever N until the engine has started.Then the vacuum caused by the pump keeps the valve closed; butshould thepump stop or fail to work and the water should rise to the top of thecondenser through any cause whatever the water would strike the slats Kof the shutter and close the shutter and cause it to rock upward uponits pivot J and it coming in contact with the end of the lever L woulddepress-the other end of the lever L and remove the valve-disk G fromits seat, the spring H aiding in open ing the valve quickly, thusallowing the water to flow out through the valve-opening before it hadtime to get to the cylinder and wreck the engine.

I O is a stop-plate secured to the lower wall of the casing andextending entirely across the casing, located between the valve-openingF and the exhaust-pipe B. This would prevent any water entering thecylinder, as the water would necessarily have to rise above the plate 0to enter the cylinder, and therefore the water would flow out of theopening F before it could rise above the plate 0. A hand-hole may beprovided on each side of the device for inspection of the same.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction hereshown, as slight modifications could be made without departing from thespirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim. as new anduseful is 1. In an automatic water-relief valve, a casing connecting thecondenser or air-pump with the exhaust-pipe of the cylinder, the casingprovided with an opening through the lower wall of its horizontalportion, a valveseat adapted to said opening, a valve-disk adapted tocontact the valve-seat from below, a vertically-sliding valve-stem, aspring adapted to exert tension downward upon the valve, a lever uponthe outside of the casing for raising the valve, movable means adaptedto allow the passage of the exhaust-steam from the cylinder to thecondenser, but adapted to be moved by any pressure in the oppositedirection, means whereby the movement of said movable means will removethe valve-disk from its seat, as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a device of the character described, a hollow casing connecting acondenser or airpump with the exhaust-pipe of a steam-engine cylinder,said casing consisting of a horizontal and vertical portion, thevertical portion connecting with the condenser and the horizontalportion with the exhaust-pipe, the

' bottom of the horizontal portion provided another on pressure frombeneath. so as to cause the shutter to rise with the pressure frombeneath, and a lever adapted to be operated by the raising of theshutter to depress the valve-stem, as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a device of the character described, a hollow casing connecting acondenser or airpump with the exhaust-pipe of a steam-engine, saidcasing consisting of a horizontal and vertical portion, the verticalportion connecting with the top of a condenser, and the horizontalportion connecting with the exhaust-pipe, the bottom of the horizontalportion of the casing provided with an open ing formed therethrough, avalve-seat formed around the lower rim of said opening, a valve-diskadapted to contact the valve-seat from below, a vertically-slidingvalve-stem connected to the valve-disk, a spring adapted to exertpressure downward upon the valvestem, means for adjusting the tension ofsaid spring, a lever connected to the valve-stem upon the outside of thecasing for primarily raising the valve to its seat, two arms ar rangedwithin the casing and upon each side close to the side walls, said armspivoted at one end to the casing, the other end being free to rockupward, a series of slats pivoted at their upper ends to the arms andextending in between the same, said slats normally being separated toallow the passage of steam downward through the same but adapted to beclosed and overlap one another on pressure from below so as to cause theshutter to rock upward upon its pivot, a lever pivoted intermediate ofits two ends to the casing, one end of said lever lying above theshutter, the other end of the lever pivotally connected to thevalve-stem, and a stopplate, arising from the bottom of the casing andextending entirely across the same, located between the valve-openingand the exhaust-pipe, as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK A. COOPER. l/Vitnesses:

CLARENCE E. BENSON, ALFRED PARKINSON.

